Record device and system



March 25, 1969 T. c. HARTNEY RECORD DEVICE AND SYSTEM Sheet l 'of'2 Filed Nov.` 9, 1964 INVENTOR THOMAS C. HARTNEY ATTORNEYS A March 25, 1969 l T. c. HARTNEY 3,435,192

RECORD DEVICE AND SYSTEM THOMAS C. HARTNEY BY 554%@ a m AT TORNE YS United States Patent O 3,435,192 RECORD DEVICE AND SYSTEM Thomas C. Hai-tney, 73S5 Pineville Drive, Jacksonville, Fla. 32210 Filed Nov. 9, 1964, Ser. No. 409,774 Int. Cl. G06k 2]/00 U.S. Cl. 23S-61.12 11 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A record device including a tabulating card and an overlay sheet with aligned pre-weakened portions in each of the card and sheet for simultaneous depression and removal therefrom. The sheet is detachably secured to the card and a transfer means is interposed therebetween to transfer information written on the sheet to the card. An adhesive backing is applied beneath a portion of the sheet and a removable connected protective covering is applied to the adhesive backing for preventing adherence to the other portions of the record device. The prewveakened portions are round and are suciently large to be readily removed from the card and sheet. The continuous shoulder around the opening of the card when the portions are removed provide continuous peripheral support for the element used to manually remove such portions.

This invention relates to a record device and system and more particularly to a machine-processable or tabulating card.

A general object of the invention is to provide an improved record device.

A particular object is the provision of an improved record device including a tabulating card and a paper overlay sheet in which 'pre-weakened sheet portions are in vertical alignment with pre-weakened card portions wherein such sheet portions and/or card portions may be selectively and simultaneously depressed and easily removed therefrom thereby recording data thereon.

Another particular object is to provide an improved record device having pre-weakened portions simply removable therefrom by manually depressing such portions with a pencil or the like and by manually grasping such depressed portions with the fingers.

A specific object is the provision of an improved record device including a tabulating card and a paper overlay having aligned portions to receive punched data therethrough wherein written data may be simultaneously entered on the sheet and transferred or duplicated on the card without interfering with punching thereof.

In the well known type of tabulating card and the tabulating card, as depicted, for example, in Patent No. 2,537,778 to John M. McCormick, there are approximately 24 pre-weakened card portions per square inch. Such pre-weakened card portions have been manually depressed by the use of the point of a standard 1A inch pencil. The user normally does not and cannot instantaneously limit the movement of the pencil point as the pre-weakened card portions are being depressed thereby rupturing some of the connections from the remainder of the card. Thus, the pencil point above the lead and below the shank causes an enlargement of the opening or -perforation from which the pre-weakened portions are removed. Such enlargement often results in card feeding difhculties which also cause inaccuracies in the tabulation of the punched cards. Important objects of the invention are to alleviate the aforementioned difficulties.

An additional object of the present invention is to provide an improved record device for the visual pres- 3,435,192 Patented Mar. 25, 1969 entation with other record devices on a master sheet system.

The novel features which are believed to be characteristic of this invention are set forth with particularity in the appended claims. The invention itself, however, both as to its organization and method of operation, together with further objects and advantages thereof, may best be understood by reference to the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

FIGURE 1 is a top plan view of the record device in accord with the invention;

FIGURE 2 is a reduced perspective view of the record device shown in FIGURE 1, the upper sheet being shown in a partially detached condition for clarity of illustration;

FIGURE 3 is an enlarged partial sectional view of FIGURE 1 showing the index portions being detached fro-m the record device by a pencil; and

FIGURE 4 is a top plan view of a master sheet display system to which a plurality of upper sheets of the record device of FIGURES l and 2 are attached for visual presentation.

Referring now more particularly to FIGURES l and 2, the record device 10 includes an elongated tabulating card 11 having one end -portion 12 detachable therefrom along a pre-weakened or perforated line (not shown) extending laterally of card 11 and substantially coextensive and in general alignment with the pre-weakened or perforated line 13 of the paper overlay sheet 14. End portion 15 of the overlay sheet 14 is connected, as by an adhesive, to card end portion 12 whereby sheet and card end portions 14 and 12 may be simultaneously detached or individually detached as desired.

The paper overlay sheet 14 has an upper and lower face 16 and 17, a first inscribing portion 18 adjacent pre-weakened line 13 on which inscriptions may be directly recorded, an index portion 19 next adjacent the first inscribing portion 18 on which data may be entered by depressing and removing -selected spaced apart and pre-weakened portions 20, and a second inscribing portion 21 on Iwhich inscriptions may be directly recorded. Tabulating card 11 is Provided with a first inscribing portion next adjacent its pre-weakened line, an index portion and a second inscribing portion substantially identical to and in general registry with respective first inscribing portion 18, index portion 19, and second inscribing portion 21 of paper overlay sheet 14.

Pressure sensitive transfer means 25 is generally provided between overlay sheet 14 and tabulating card 11 to transfer inscriptions on the upper face 16 of overlay sheet 14 to the upper face 22 of card 11, and is seen to include a car-bon sheet 26 connected, as by adhesive, to the lower face 17 of overlay sheet 14 adjacent the paper sheet end portion 15. As depicted in FIGURE 2, carbon sheet 26 extends between sheet and portion 15 and card end portion 12, and openings 27 extend through the end portion 15 of overlay sheet 14, carbon sheet 26 and card end portion 12.

Carbon sheet 26 includes a free end 26 which 'terminates adjacent index portion 19. The carbon sheet 26 may have a cut-out corner portion, indicated by broken lines 28 in FIGURE 1, which underlies pre-weakened portion 63, designated for EMERGENCY.

The pre-weakened portions 20 in index portion 19 are selected because these tests indicated by portions 20 are the ones requested most often described more fully hereinbelow. Other pre-weakened portions 30 are provided in the lcard area 31 to the right of overlay sheet end portion 32, such portions 30 being for additional tests which may be conducted, as hereinafter more particularly described.

As shown in FIGURE 2 the overlay sheet 14 is provided With a pressure sensitive layer 30 adjacent the preweakened line 13, layer 30 being covered by protective covering 31. At the appropriate time the overlay sheet 14 is detached from the end portion 15 thereof and thereafter the protective covering 31 is removed to expose the adhesive layer for attachment to the master sheet 65, as hereinafter more fully described by reference to FIG- URE 4.

The manner of depressing and removing a selected pre-weakened portion 35 from the index portion 19 of the overlay sheet 14 together with the corresponding registering pre-weakened portion 36l of card 11 is clearly shown in FIGURE 3. An elongated element 37 is depicted as being in the form of a standard 1A inch pencil having a shank dimension X of 1A inch and a conical sharpened tip 38 in which the largest diameter is greater than 7/32 inch. The graphite point 39 of the conical tip 38 decreases in cross-sectional dimension less than 1A; inch in a known manner, and wherein the junction 40 between the point 39 and tip 38 is about 3/32 inch. The pre-weakened round sheet and card portions 35 and 36 have a dimension between 4/32 inch and 7/32 inch thereby being sufliciently large for ready removal thereof by the ingers after manual perforation of the overlay sheet 14 and card 11 by element 37. The round pre-weakened portions 35 and 36 permits a minimum number of retaining webs 41 and 42, as seen in FIGURE 4, to maintain pre-weakened portions 35 to the remainder of sheet 14. The round shape of the openings 43 and 44 from which respective portions 35 and 36 are punched provides continuous peripheral support for the conical shaped tip 38 thereby substantially minimizing any distortion which may otherwise occur when a standard pencil is used, for example, to punch out the conventional pre-weakened portions of a standard machine tabulating card. Such a decrease in the hole or -opening distortion of a machine tabulating card substantially decreases the number of card jams and other card feeding and tabulating difculties in the machine.

It is to be understood, that the punched sheet and card portions, such as 35 and 36, will often be forcibly detached from the overlay sheet 14 and card 11 by the depressing and insertion of conical tip 38 through openings 43 and 44. However, many such sheet and card portions, including sheet and card portions, 35 and 36, hang on at a web, such as Webs 45 and 46, which then require the use of the fingers for the complete removal thereof.

The record devices and systems in accordance with the invention have particular utility in connection with laboratory tests which a physician orders for a patient in a hospital and the display thereof in the patients clinical file or record. A physician selects an appropriate record device, such as that depicted in FIGURE 1 and entitled HEMATOLOGY, and enters the patients identification in the appropriate area 50. If the physician directs that certain tests are to be conducted under certain conditions, instructions are entered in the appropriate area 51. The physician enters the location at which the report is to be returned at 52, enters the date at 53 and signs at 54. The patients status is entered on the record device by selecting, depressing, and removing the appropriate pre-weakened portions 55, 56, 57 of the card 11. The physician then selects the tests or studies desired by punching out the appropriate pre-weakened index portions 20. If the physician desires other tests to be conducted other `than those appearing in index portion 19, selected pre-weakened portions 30 are punched out. If the laboratory is to conduct the tests on a rush basis, the physician punches out pre-weakened portion 63. When a laboratory specimen is to accompany the record device, such record device is attached, for example, by a rubber band or the like, through openings 27 to the specimen container which is then sent to the appropriate laboratory.

The laboratory technician conducts the tests and studies requested on the record device as indicated by the punched out openings in the index portion 19 and the results are entered in the appropriate area 59 on inscribing portion 21 together with the date of such tests in area 60. Any remarks of the technician are entered at area 61 of the second inscribing portion 21. If other tests have been requested by the physician by the punching out of one of the portions 30, the technician enters the results at 64 and identifies the test at 64. lf more than one portion 30 is punched the results are entered on the lower face 17 of overlay sheet 14. The technician signs at 58 and separates the paper overlay sheet 14 and tabulating card 11 by detaching same along the pre-weakened line 13 of sheet 14 and the pre-weakened line of card 11. The separated overlay sheet 14 is returned to the patients ward as shown at 52 and the card 11 is led as a laboratory record. The laboratory record cards may be collected at monthly intervals to be sorted and/or counted by machines in a data processing oice. The end portions 12 and 15, respectively of card 11 and overlay sheet 14, together with the attached carbon sheet 26 are discarded after detachment therefrom of the remainder of the overlay sheet and card.

When the overlay sheet 14 is received back at the ward, the protective covering 31 is removed from the pressure sensitive adhesive 30 and the overlay sheet is then properly positioned in the designated area for such sheet, for example, area 70 on master display sheet 65 in FIGURE 4. The overlay sheet 14 is then adhered to the master sheet 65 for display in the patients clinical le or record. The display system is depicted in FIGURE 4 wherein the master sheet 65 corresponds to the patients record or file. The vertically elongated master sheet 65 is divided into three major areas 66, 67 and 68 extending horizontally thereof, Area 68 is subdivided into a first report area 70 having a length and width generally corresponding to a detached overlay sheet, as depicted by sheet 71. The second report area 72 is horizontally displaced to the right a predetermined distance which partially overlaps the rst report area 70. Similarly, report areas 73, 74 and 75 partially overlap the next adjacent report area to the left thereof. As indicated in major area 67, the overlay sheets 78, 79, 80, 81 and 71 are attached in the proper report areas and are overlapped from left to right which exposes the test results of each of the ve Hematology overlay sheets. Such display of successive test results can be evaluated by scanning the master sheet 65 from left to right to determine the progress of the patient. It is to be noted that date areas 86-90 of the overlapped sheets in major area 67 are accentuated in order that they be readily distinguishable from the test results. Furthermore, the master sheet containing all of the laboratory tests overlay sheets in horizontal overlay display permits the photocopying or reproduction thereof without the necessity of separating and/or re-arranging the laboratory test sheets which are presently being vertically stacked.

The pressure sensitive backing layer 85 of overlay sheet 71 is shown in FIGURE 4 and such layer attaches sheet 71 in the appropriate fth report area 84 of major area 67, it being understood that the other overlay sheets 78-81 are similarly attached to master sheet 65.

While only a certain preferred embodiment of this invention has been shown and described by way of illustration, many modifications will occur to those skilled in the art and it is, therefore, desired that it be understood that it is intended in the appended claims to cover all such modifications as fall within the true spirit and scope of this invention.

What is claimed as new and what it is desired to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is:

1. In a record device comprising an elongated tabulating card having an index portion spaced between its end portions, a paper overlay sheet having an index portion spaced between its end portions, a pressure sensitive transfer means connected to one said end portion of said overlay sheet and extending outwardly toward said index portion of said overlay sheet, said one end portion of said overlay sheet being connected to one said end portion of said card with said pressure sensitive transfer means disposed between said card and overlay sheet, each said one sheet end portion and card end portion being detachable from the remainder of said overlay sheet and said card, said overlay sheet index portion having pre-weakened portions spaced each from the next, said card index portion having pre-weakened portions spaced each from the next and in alignment with respective said pre-weakened portions of said overlay sheet whereby selective said preweakened portions of said overlay sheet and card may be simultaneously depressed and removed therefrom.

2. In the record device defined in claim 1 wherein said pressure sensitive transfer means includes a carbon sheet having one end portion connected to said one overlay sheet end portion and having an opposite free end, said overlay sheet having an adhesive backing applied thereto adjacent said one sheet end portion, and a removably connected protective covering applied to said adhesive backing for preventing said adhesive backing from adhering to said carbon sheet.

3. In the record device defined in claim 2 wherein said opposite free end terminates adjacent said overlay sheet index portion, said pressure sensitive transfer means further includes a carbon backing layer on said overlay sheet adjacent its said index portion and spaced from said opposite free end of said carbon sheet thereby providing duplicating carbon between said overlay sheet and card on either side of said index portion.

4. In a record device comprising an elongated tabulating card having one end portion detachable along a preweakened line extending laterally of said card, a paper overlay sheet having one end portion connected to said one card end portion and detachable therewith along a pre-weakened line substantially coextensive with said card pre-weakened line, said overlay sheet having a first inscribing portion adjacent its said one end portion and an index portion next adjacent thereto and a second inscribing portion next adjacent thereto, said card having a first inscribing portion and an index portion and second inscribing portion respectively in registry with said overlay first inscribing portion and index portion and second inscribing portion, pressure sensitive transfer means between said overlay sheet and card first inscribing portions and between said overlay sheet and card second inscribing portions, said overlay sheet index portion having spaced apart pre-weakened portions aligned respectively with preweakened portions of said card index portion whereby selective said pre-weakened portions of said overlay sheet and card may be simultaneously depressed and removed.

`5*. In a record device comprising an elongated tabulating card having one end portion removable therefrom and an index portion spaced therefrom toward its other end portion, an elongated paper overlay sheet having one end portion removable therefrom and an index portion spaced therefrom toward its other end portion, a pressure sensitive transfer means connected to said one end portion of said overlay sheet and extending outwardly toward said index portion of said overlay sheet, said one end portion of said overlay sheet being connected to said one end portion of said card with said pressure sensitive transfer means disposed between said card and overlay sheet, said overlay sheet index portion having pre-weakened portions of a predetermined shape spaced each from the next, said card index portion having pre-weakened portions of a predetermined shape spaced each from the next and in substantially registry with respective said pre-weakened portions of said overlay sheet whereby selective said preweakened portions of said overlay sheet and card may be simultaneously depressed, each said predetermined shaped portion of said overlay sheet and said card being of a dimension between 4/32 inch and W52 inch whereby said shaped portions may be readily removed therefrom after manual depression thereof.

6. In the record device defined in claim 5 wherein Said pressure sensitive transfer means includes a carbon sheet having one end portion connected to said paper overlay sheet and having an opposite free end, said overlay sheet having an adhesive backing applied thereto between said index portion and said one end portion, and a removably connected protective covering applied to said adhesive backing for preventing said adhesive backing from adhering to said carbon sheet.

7. In the record device defined in claim 6 wherein said opposite free end terminates adjacent said overlay sheet index portion, said pressure sensitive transfer means further includes a car-bon backing layer on said overlay sheet adjacent its said index portion and spaced from said opposite "free end of said carbon sheet.

8. In a record device comprising an elongated tabulating card having one end portion detachable along a preweakened line extending laterally of said card, a paper overlay sheet having one end portion connected to said one card end portion and detachable therewith along a pre-'weakened line substantially coextensive with said card pre-weakened line, said overlay sheet having a first inscri'bing portion adjacent its said one end portion and an index portion next adjacent thereto and a second inscribing portion next adjacent thereto, said card having a first inscribing portion and an index portion anld a second inscribing portion respectively in registry with said overlay sheet first -inscribing portion and index portion and second inscribing portion, a carbon sheet connected to said one overlay sheet portion, said carbon sheet being disposed between said overlay sheet and card first inscribing portions, an adhesive backing layer on said overlay sheet first inscribing portion and adjacent its said preweakened line, and a removably connected protective covering applied to said adhesive backing layer for maintaining said overlay sheet first inscribing portion disconnected from said carbon sheet, a carbon backing layer on said overlay sheet between said sheet and said second inscribing portions, said overlay sheet index portions having spaced apart pre-weakened portions aligned respectively with pre-weakened portions of said card index portion whereby selective said pre-weakened portions of said overlay sheet and card may be simultaneously depressed and removed.

9. In a record device comprising an elongated tabulat` ing card having an index portion spaced between its end portions, a paper overlay sheet having an index portion spaced between its end portions, a pressure sensitive transfer means connected to one of said end portion of said overlay sheet and extending outwardly toward said overlay sheet, said one end portion of said overlay sheet being connected to one said end portion of said card with said pressure sensitive transfer means Idisposed between said card and overlay sheet, each said one sheet end portion and card end portion being detachable from the remainder of said sheet and said card, said overlay sheet index portion, having a plurality of spaced pre-weakened circular portions of a diameter between 4@ inch and 7/32 inch, said card index portion having a plurality of spaced pre-weakened circular portions of a diameter between 4/32 inch and 7&2 inch, respective said circular portions of said overlay sheet being in registry with each said circular portion of said card whereby selective Said pre-weakened portions of said overlay sheet an-d card may be simultaneously depressed, each said circular portion of said overlay sheet and card being sufficiently large for ready removal thereof by the fingers after manual depression thereof.

10. In a record device system comprising a plurality of sheets of paper each having an upper face and a lower face, each said upper face being divided into a first enlarged inscribing portion adjacent one end thereof and an enlarged index portion next adjacent thereto and a second enlarged inscribing portion next adjacent to said index portion, each said index portion having pre-weakened p0rtions spaced each from the next and adapted to be depressed and removed therefrom to indicate data, a master sheet, each said lower face beneath said first inscribing portion being secured to said master sheet for visual presentation of said upper face thereof, said -first inscribing portion and index portion of one said sheet being covered by another said sheet attached to said master sheet and spaced horizontally from said one sheet a distance substantially equal to the horizontal dimension of said second inscribing portion of said one sheet thereby to expose only said second inscribing portion of said one sheet for side by side comparison with the second inscribing portion of said other sheet on said master sheet.

11. In a record device system comprising a plurality of sheets of paper each having an upper face and a lower face, each said upper face being divided into a rst vertically extending and horizontally enlarged inscribing portion adjacent one end thereof and a vertically extending and horizontally enlarged index portion next adjacent thereto and a vertically extending and horizontally enlarged second inscribing portion next adjacent to said index portion, each said index portion having pre-weakened portions spaced each from the next and adapted to be depressed and removed therefrom to indicate data, a pressure sensitive adhesive backing applied to each said lower face of said sheet adjacent said one end portion, a removably connected protective covering applied to each said adhesive backing, a master sheet, each said adhesive backing after removal of said covering being secured to said master sheet for visual presentation of said upper face thereof, said first inscribing portion and index portion of one said sheet being covered by another said sheet attached to said master sheet and spaced horizontally therefrom a distance substantially equal to the horizontal dimension of said second inscribing portion of one said sheet thereby to expose only said second inscribing portion of said one sheet for side by side comparison with the second inscribing portion of said other sheet attached to said master sheet.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,537,778 1/1951 McCormick 23S-61.12 2,618,333 11/1952 Judd 161-406 XR 3,055,681 9/1962 Forsth et al. 23S-61.12 3,128,564 4/1964 Atherton 35-48.1 3,283,416 11/1966 Taylor et al. 35-48 FOREIGN PATENTS 243,099 7/ 1925 Great Britain.

MAYNARD R. WILBUR, Primary Examiner.

SOL SHEINBEIN, Assistant Examiner.

U.S. Cl. XR. 

